Unable to Trust
by faerygirl14
Summary: Sakura's father died, leaving her heir to one of the richest kingdoms on the planet. When she is sent to the neighboring country, countless marriage requests haunt her, her family is far away, and she has no one to trust. Can she survive? Syaoran x Sakura
1. Promise

** Sorry, the first chapter's kinda short... Anyways, I was dying to write this. ^^ So here it is. I'll probably be updating every two days... Yeah... I don't own CCS or anything, so... okay... Please R+R!! ESPECIALLY REVIEW!!! (Which you kind of have to read to do, so...)**

"Father!" Sakura's eyes were wide and shocked. "No! What happened?"

"Sakura…" Touya said softly, but his words were wasted. "Look, Sakura, please. A princess must retain her dignity, even whe—"

"Dignity?!" the girl all but shrieked. "Father is DEAD! HE WON'T EVER COME BACK!" She collapsed, covering her red eyes with her hands.

"Sakura, he was my father, too."

The princess couldn't hold back her tears anymore. They fell, mixing with the blood on the floor.

**One Week Later**

"Sakura." Touya knocked on the door. He was worried about Sakura's health. She was the princess, the only legitimate child of the king, so she could not be allowed to suffer like this. Not only was he worried about the kingdom, but if his only sister suffered like this, he didn't know if he could bear it himself.

He sighed. If only he had been born after the king had married. Then, so much responsibility wouldn't have to fall on Sakura's shoulders. She was only fourteen right now.

At last, a voice issued from the room. "What is it?" The worlds sounded slightly muffled, and were shaky. Not to mention, hoarse.

He went in. Sakura had her head buried in a pillow, and she didn't look well. She lifted her head, and he could see that her eyes were a dull red. She'd been crying. Again.

"Sakura…" he hesitated, not knowing how to make the words better. "Sakura, Yukito and I have been thinking about… about getting you a fiancé."

"What?" the princess didn't look like she had quite heard properly. Her eyes were still dull, so it was possible that she hadn't.

Touya took a deep breath. "We've been thinking about getting a husband for you. Not now, in a few years, of course, but an engagement should be settled soon. The person who marries you will inherit this entire kingdom. I don't want you to have to do everything for yourself, you know."

_This_ time, Princess Sakura had heard clearly. Too clearly. Her dull green eyes, rimmed with red, were now bright and clear, and suffused with anger. "Never." she hissed. "I will never, ever give Father's lands away, not to anyone. And I will _definitely_ not give them to a treacherous, lying, _boy!_"

Touya had forgotten how deeply she hated anyone who was male, except for her close family and friends. "Please, princess," he begged, "you can't do this all by yourself! It will break you! And, we won't choose anyone without your consent."

The girl was adamant, her royal heritage clearly manifesting in her eyes. "NEVER!" She screamed, her voice unnaturally high, not because of rage, but because of whatever had caused her voice to become so odd after her father died. "I WILL NEVER MARRY! THE DAY I MARRY WILL BE THE DAY—" she paused, not quite sure what to say. At least, she drew a shaky breath. "When I marry," she vowed, "I will set aside all my memories of Father. And that will never, _never_ happen. I will _never_ forget him. _Never._"

Touya tried again, stubbornly refusing to let his sister – his heart and soul – live her life like this. "Sakura, you—"

She didn't even let him finish her sentence. "_NE—_" Before she could finish her sentence, though, her eyes widened, and her hands flew to her throat as she collapsed. She tried to speak, but no sound came out, and then she passed out.

In alarm, Touya yelled out, "Get a doctor in here! _HURRY!_" Almost instantly, a doctor appeared, who Touya suspected had been following Sakura for the entire day in worry, ready to come at a moment's notice.

After many tense minutes, the doctor came out. "Your Highness," he said gravely, "she's… lost her voice."

The entire hallway – servants, attendants, ladies-in-waiting, and even a few nobles – was silent for a minute in shock.

Tomoyo, Sakura's best friend and lady-in-waiting, said stiffly, "You can't mean… she… will never talk again?"

With a sigh, the doctor said sadly, "I'm afraid so… The loss of her father made her emotionally unstable, and she was crying and screaming too much. It made her voice weak and her throat raw. And, with this… recent shock, her body has forced her to forget how to speak altogether, in an attempt to calm her. I'm afraid… although there still is a chance of her recovering, it may be impossible for her to regain it."

**The Next Day**

Sakura cried. She had lost her voice. First her father, and now her voice. Was there nothing else in the world left for her? As she rubbed the last of her tears away, she thought. She thought of everything in the world that she had – Touya, Yukito, Tomoya, her memories, a home.

And that day, she decided. She decided that she would never cry in front of people again. No matter what happened, she would never let anyone know when she let out her tears.

In the near future, she was definitely going to have a lot of tears.

**Not much of an ending, I know... ^^ It's gonna get better in a bit, don't worry! I know poor old Syaoran's just DYING to come out. Too bad, wait one more chapter!**

** Review!!! Please, please, please review! DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!! JUST ONE CLICK (and then some typing.)  
**


	2. Meeting

**Heh heh, this one's longer! ^^ Thanks for the reviews! Thank you very very much! ^^ Oh, oh, you see a lot more people here!**

**One Year Later**

Princess Sakura smiled. She put a hand on her brother's shoulder.

Touya sighed. "She says, 'Move the troops to the northern barracks. Then, reduce taxes there, to ease the tensions. Cut half of the troops at the eastern border, where we have a treaty, and order them to bring some supplies to the earthquake victims.'" He smiled himself, proudly. Despite only having glanced at national matters before, Sakura was doing very well. At only fifteen years old, she was handling the kingdom's affairs like a ten-year veteran.

The, his smile vanished. She smiled, she laughed soundlessly, and ate well, but he could feel that she put no heart in it. Her smiles never reached her eyes. She had become distant and cold. All the more reason to find her a perfect match. She needed someone who could make her smile from her heart, who could make her happy.

Sakura poked Touya's shoulder. _I want to go now. Today's meetings are over._ She refused to think of… it.

He sighed, and obediently escorted her out of the throne room. Somehow, she could communicate with a select few people, even without the use of her voice. He could hear her, probably because they shared blood. Tomoyo could hear her, too, probably because of their closeness and deep friendship.

Touya left Sakura in her room, the last night she would get to stay in it for a long time.

**Sakura's Words**

Tomoyo entered the room. "Sakura, are you nervous?"

I sniffed. My home, my country… it was all going to be left behind tomorrow. All because the assassins were coming after me. It wasn't fair, it wasn't _fair._ The assassins who had killed my father, who were driving me from my home. _Touya will be a great regent, right? _I desperately asked, seeking reassurance.

Tomoyo smiled. "Of course. He'll be the best substitute ruler you could ever find. And, don't forget, I'll be going with you, too. You're not leaving everything behind. Besides, the Li family will treat you well. We've been sister countries for generations!"

I nodded gratefully. Tomoyo always knew what to say. However, she ruined it by adding, "And don't forget, Syaoran will probably be there!"

I looked at her dully. "Who?" It sounded like a boy's name.

She shook her head playfully. "Don't you remember? From five years ago!"

Five years ago… I winced. The same year as _that_.

She blinked at my wince, then understanding dawned her face. She hurriedly went on. "Oh, well, we played together a lot, remember? It was a lot of fun! Lots!" She laughed. "I'd make you dress up in all these fantastic costumes I made and Syaoran-kun would just go all mad-looking and stammer about how it didn't look great at all…" she sighed wistfully. "It was so much more fun."

I shrugged unemotionally. Whatever she remembered, or thought, about some boy from so long ago, I didn't particularly care. If he was a boy, then he was untrustworthy. A sinner until proven innocent, I thought a bit guiltily, but then I shook my head. Law and personal matters should be treated differently.

But, as Tomoyo rambled on and on, I couldn't help feeling a little twinge of hope. Maybe there _would _be someone in that foreign palace who wouldn't be a complete stranger.

**Meanwhile…**

"What?!"

Yukito smiled. "Won't it be a great experience, Master Syaoran?" he added thoughtfully, "You could probably use some time with a kid your age."

Syaoran just stared heatedly. You could almost see his hair sticking out in shock.

"And one more thing…" the priest Yukito added. "Princess Sakura… is fated to be the Mistress of the Cards. The power that can destroy and build an empire."

"I am the descendant of Clow Reed!" Syaoran argued. "_I_ should be the Master of the Cards! Why her? I won't lose."

Yukito just kept smiling, like a father at an unruly child. Never mind they only had about ten years… okay, fine, so ten years was a pretty big deal. "You may have a chance yet, Master Syaoran. The stars are still not completely sure. But, remember, whatever happened, _everything is hitsuzen._"

Syaoran narrowed his eyes. The Cards would _not_ be allowed to fall to ruin! He stuck out his tongue rather immaturely at the leaving Yukito.

**---------------------------------------**

My eyes were half-closed. It was difficult, definitely, to keep awake when you had to wake up so early. I wondered vaguely what the Eastern Land looked like. Was it sunny, like my country? What was this mysterious Syaoran like, whom Tomoyo had yet to elaborate on, except to pass more frustrating hints and comments about?

I fretted more and more as soon as I thought about it. Was this person someone worth trusting? I sighed. I couldn't even talk with Tomoyo, as she had volunteered to help with the clothes designing in another carriage. Like we actually needed new clothes. But, no, of _course_ the great Tomoyo would want a set of Eastern-style clothing. The corners of my mouth turned up. It was the closest I'd come to a smile for a year.

"We're stopping for the night." One of the guards yelled. Ridiculous. _Guards_. I could probably take on a robber by myself. Although, I hadn't had any argument when Touya asked me what I'd do if a group of them came along. Well, that was before I'd hit him after he muttered, "_even though you _are_ a monster._"

I hugged my stuffed… _thing_ tightly. It was a lion with wings, apparently. Unless it was a large-eared bear with a cow tail? Whatever. It was, next to Tomoyo, my best friend. Although, unfortunately, it didn't really talk, unlike Tomoyo did, faithfully and patiently.

As the other solders and attendants set up camp, I wandered around. We were in the Eastern Land already. It was so… _green!_ I looked around, amazed. There were bamboo trees everywhere, which I'd only ever seen in gardens. Also, the non-bamboo trees were all tall and dignified, unlike the wispy little things that grew in my desert land. Well, there were farmlands there, too, but I'd never seen one before.

Slowly, I wandered back, and, exhausted to the core, I fell asleep.

----------------------------------

"We're here!" Tomoyo smiled happily. "Sakura, aren't you glad?"

I was, kind of. A year ago, I'd probably have the same goofy grin as Tomoyo, and be yelling sparkly-eyed at everything. But, nowadays, I always felt empty, and, looking on this strange scenery, I felt a glimmer of my old self in my. I smiled, almost undetectably, for the second time this week. Strange.

Whispers floated around the large crowd waiting for me.

"What do you think she's like?" "Is she really as pretty as they say?" "When is she coming out?" "What's her place like, I wonder?"

"Here comes Princess Sakura!" someone in the reception crowd yelled excitedly. One of the musicians threw a dirty look in that general direction. Obviously, they did not like anyone interrupting them.

I looked around to make sure no one saw me, then I jumped out the back of the carriage I was riding in – which, conveniently, was placed at the of the parade. I lost myself in the crowd, and ran to the back entrance of the castle, where some delivery boys were bringing in food for the feast later.

Once in, I kept running as fast as I could, hearing the shouts behind me. Uh-oh. Someone had tried to escort me out. Well, they'd all be looking now… thank goodness no one knew what I looked like here.

I was still looking behind me, and I didn't notice the person in front of me until too late.

_Crash!_

I rubbed my head, then quickly got up and bowed quickly. _I-I'm r-really sorry! I d-didn't see you!_ I stammered mentally.

The young man laughed lightly. I could see he was wearing the clothing of a very esteemed priest. "No problem. My name is Yukito, I'm one of the priests." Well, that explained why he could hear me… Some of the priests at home could, too. But, he was so good-looking…

My face turned red, like a cherry. He seemed trustable. I lowered my face and smiled, a bit bigger than usual – which must have seemed small to him, if he'd seen it, because I never smiled.

"Well, take care!" he waved. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you at the feast, Princess Sakura!"

I sighed happily, sinking into my blissful _~hanyan~_ mood. I forgot to ask him how he knew my name.

Was it first love?

**I'm still not sure if I want to make it have any of the anime characters (especially Meiling) in it, so please tell me if you do or do not want her to be in the fanfic (via review).**

**And don't forget to review normally! Thank you very much! ^^**


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